Twitter or a risky getaway to avoid the breathalyzer test in Mexico City
Since the city authorities began to install checkpoints for the breathalyzer test in strategic points of this metropolis of 20 million inhabitants, back in 2003, it has become one of the worst nightmare for those who likes partying all night long, have been looking desperately for ways of avoiding them.
A couple of weeks ago, those who strongly oppose to blow the breathalyzer mouthpiece have created a hashtag #alcoholímetro on twitter, to alert the location of the checkpoints so others can avoid it. For the authorities, this is obviously impossible to control, so they decided to play along by following twitter on the daily basis and constantly moving the checkpoints. It seems that this have given some results.
Unfortunately, we are not exempt of those who likes to challenge the authorities in a more risky way. That was the case of 35 year old woman, Carla Navarrete Covarrubias, that crashed her Honda Civic at a speed of 130 km per hour, in early hours of Saturday, against a street lightning pole during her getaway to avoid being stopped. She ended up with a skull fracture and her car...well, let's say is ready for the junkyard.
Another similar incident took place back on March of 2009, when José Luis Romo Trujano, a 22 year old Law student, killed Fernando Corona Mercado — the police officer that made him the stop signal— after he was hit by Romo Trujano's Sport Van and jumped on top of the hood,while it continued to advance 1,320 meters before it crashed against the statue of Pope John Paul II, located at Insurgentes, one of the main avenue of the city.
The truth is, that the consequences of driving in Mexico City with an alcohol level above 0,40 milligrams per liter are pretty harsh. Not only do you have to pay a fine, but also you'll be jailed for 36 hours in the infamous prison 'El Torito', officially the drunk drivers prison, were obviously no one wants to end up there.
What do you guys think of all of this?